Save The Spotted Cow

by Holbrook Community Society in Holbrook, England, United Kingdom

We did it
On 18th March 2017 we successfully raised £290,860 with 48 investors in 54 days

We need to save our village pub from developers who wish to partially demolish it and turn the site into housing.

by Holbrook Community Society in Holbrook, England, United Kingdom

 New stretch target

If we raise more than the funds to buy the freehold of The Spotted Cow we will be able to remodel  the downstairs and begin to renovate the bed and breakfast accommodation upstairs.   This will lower our loan to value and mean that we can deliver more to our investors and the community.  


We want to create a community owned asset in the heart of the village to incorporate the pub, a café, bed and breakfast and bid for the post office contract too! Our local postmistress needs to retire and the post office is in her house. This project is about saving a village pub from developers but also about saving village services and creating a sustainable community. We want to create a community facility owned by the village, run for the good of the village and providing support to the whole community.

The Spotted Cow's building dates back to 1604 and as a public house it has been a focal point for village life for over 150 years. In November the community managed to persuade local councillors to refuse planning permission for change of use and partial demolition of the pub based on the fact that The Spotted Cow is an Asset of Community Value. The councillors challenged the local community to come up with the money to buy the pub. Since then the owner has said he is willing to sell the pub to the highest bidder- but until 18th March he can only sell to the community group (under ACV rules). We want to raise as much as possible as quickly as possible. So far we have money invested from over 170 members of the local community.

We are now up to 255 investors! That's incredible news; thank you all.

Contact us at [email protected]

'Penny' our very own Spotted Cow!

'Penny' bearing the brunt of the weather to promote the share offer!

A victorian street scene with the 'Spotted' in the middle distance 

It means so much to the community; if we save it then it can enhance social cohesion and retain vital village services

Contact us at [email protected]

Levels of Investment

£250 or more

£250 Investment

Just £250 will make you a member of Holbrook Community Society with an equal vote on how The Spotted Cow is run regardless of your share holding. We aim to pay 3% interest on shares by year 3 and our project has advanced assurance from HMRC that investments will qualify for 30% tax relief under SITR.

£500 or more

£500 Investment

£500 will make you a member of Holbrook Community Society with an equal vote on how The Spotted Cow is run regardless of your share holding. We aim to pay 3% interest on shares by year 3 and our project has advanced assurance from HMRC that investments will qualify for 30% tax relief under SITR.

£750 or more

£750 Investment

£750 will make you a member of Holbrook Community Society with an equal vote on how The Spotted Cow is run regardless of your share holding. We aim to pay 3% interest on shares by year 3 and our project has advanced assurance from HMRC that investments will qualify for 30% tax relief under SITR.

£1,000 or more

£1,000 Investment

£1000 will make you a member of Holbrook Community Society with an equal vote on how The Spotted Cow is run regardless of your share holding. We aim to pay 3% interest on shares by year 3 and our project has advanced assurance from HMRC that investments will qualify for 30% tax relief under SITR.

£2,000 or more

£2,000 Investment

£2000 will make you a member of Holbrook Community Society with an equal vote on how The Spotted Cow is run regardless of your share holding. We aim to pay 3% interest on shares by year 3 and our project has advanced assurance from HMRC that investments will qualify for 30% tax relief under SITR.

£5,000 or more

£5,000 Investment

£5000 will make you a member of Holbrook Community Society with an equal vote on how The Spotted Cow is run regardless of your share holding. We aim to pay 3% interest on shares by year 3 and our project has advanced assurance from HMRC that investments will qualify for 30% tax relief under SITR.

£10,000 or more

£10,000 Investment

£10000 will make you a member of Holbrook Community Society with an equal vote on how The Spotted Cow is run regardless of your share holding. We aim to pay 3% interest on shares by year 3 and our project has advanced assurance from HMRC that investments will qualify for 30% tax relief under SITR.

£20,000 or more

£20,000 Investment

£20000 will make you a member of Holbrook Community Society with an equal vote on how The Spotted Cow is run regardless of your share holding. We aim to pay 3% interest on shares by year 3 and our project has advanced assurance from HMRC that investments will qualify for 30% tax relief under SITR.

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